On May 28, international students attending the 2025 spring semester orientation at the university theater of the Daeyeon Campus of Pukyong National University in Nam-gu, Busan, enjoy a Taekwondo demonstration. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 30 (Korea Biawire) — South Korea’s declining school-age population has led to a steady drop in university enrollment, with vocational and technical colleges bearing the brunt of the demographic shift.
In response, universities are increasingly recruiting nontraditional students — including adult learners and international students — to fill empty seats, a new government report shows.
According to a study released Thursday by the Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI), total freshman enrollment across all higher education institutions fell 12.3% from 575,000 in 2016 to 504,000 in 2023.
While four-year universities experienced a modest decline of 4.8%, vocational and technical colleges saw a sharp 23.7% drop over the same period.
Regional disparities were stark. Enrollment at four-year universities rose in Gyeonggi (+19.5%) and Incheon (+23.5%) but fell significantly in provinces like South Gyeongsang (-20.3%) and South Jeolla (-17.7%).
Vocational colleges experienced steep declines even in metropolitan areas — with Seoul down 5.1%, Gyeonggi down 19.4%, and Incheon down 16.9%. Some regions saw enrollment slashed nearly in half, including Gangwon (-43.4%) and Daejeon (-34.9%).
Demographic Crisis Forces Shift in Korean Higher Education Strategy (Image supported by ChatGPT)
To counter this trend, many institutions have expanded recruitment to include adult learners and international students. Four-year universities saw adult enrollment more than double from 4,000 in 2019 to over 10,000 by 2023.
Adult learners now account for 3.4% of total freshman enrollment, up from 1.2% in 2016. International student numbers also rose, from 5,673 (1.6%) in 2016 to 7,524 (2.2%) in 2023.
Vocational and technical colleges saw an even greater shift. Adult learner enrollment rose from 21,119 in 2016 to 37,407 in 2023, making up 22.4% of all new students. International student enrollment grew from just 712 (0.3%) to 3,741 (2.2%) during the same period.
Yet geographic inequalities persist. While universities in Seoul and central regions filled over 90% of their freshman quotas with traditional-age students, schools in provinces like South Jeolla and North Jeolla filled only about 80%.
For vocational colleges, only those in Seoul met the 90% threshold; some regions, such as South Jeolla (39.2%) and North Gyeongsang (49.6%), failed to reach even 50%.
The report urges universities to adapt to these shifting demographics by offering more flexible, inclusive academic programs.
It recommends tailored curricula to support workforce integration for adult learners, academic bridging programs for those returning after long gaps, and expanded support systems for international students adjusting to Korean society.
“As the makeup of incoming students diversifies, universities must evolve accordingly,” the report concludes. “Education reform is essential to meet the needs of today’s nontraditional learners.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
